The Chico State baseball team took another huge step toward its 16th postseason appearance in the last 17 years with a doubleheader sweep of Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday at Nettleton Stadium. Sean Martin tossed a complete game five-hitter to lift the Wildcats to a 3-1 win in the opener, and Blake Gibbs and Eric Angerer bashed two-run homers in a 7-4 win in the nightcap as the Wildcats moved into sole possession of second place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with five to play.
Chico State, now 32-13 overall and 22-13 in the CCAA, also moved to within a game and a half of first-place UC San Diego, which was swept by Cal State L.A. Saturday and wrapped up it’s 2012 CCAA campaign with a record of 26-14. That means the Wildcats would win the conference’s regular season crown with a win in Sunday’s series finale and four more at Cal State Stanislaus next weekend.
Martin, who made just his third start of the season Saturday, could play a big role in that quest and the Wildcats’ postseason fate if he keeps pitching like this. The junior transfer from Sacramento City College scattered five hits and walked one while striking out 10, improving to 4-2. In the process, Martin lowered his ERA to 1.79 with 40-plus frames under his belt. The Wildcats are now 3-0 when he starts.
The Wildcats actually trailed 1-0 before Eric Angerer drew a walk, stole second and scored on Matt Anderson’s base hit that tied the game in the fourth. Chico State pushed across the winning run in the sixth during a rally in which Angerer and Anderson were again key contributors. Cody Foster walked and Gibbs was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and they both moved up a base on Cody Webber’s deep fly ball to center field. That allowed Foster to score on Angerer’s grounder to second, and Gibbs touched the plate on Anderson’s infield hit to make it 3-1.
Martin made sure the lead stood, retiring the final nine Toros that came to the plate, including four via strikeout.
Gibbs’ home run to deep left-center gave the Wildcats the lead for good in the nightcap, and the Wildcats got four runs in the fifth to break the game open on Webber’s two-run double and Angerer’s two-run homer.
The Wildcats got into a bit of a jam in the seventh as two runs scored and the tying run came to the plate with two on and none out. But Chico State closer Mike Botelho slammed the door, getting a fly ball and double-play grounder for his 10th save of the season.
Starter Nick Baker (5-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on nine hits in four innings of work. Baker struck out five and did not walk a batter. Baker got out of a number of jams with important pitches. He struck out Toros leading hitter Matthew Young with two runners on to end the second. He induced a double-play ball with two runners on to end the third. And he got a comebacker on his last pitch of the day to strand two runners in the fourth.
Morgan Yee tossed two scoreless innings of relief before getting into trouble in the seventh.
The Wildcats will go for the series sweep Sunday morning on “Senior Day.” Chico State’s six seniors – Cody Foster, Juan Guerra, Ian McKay, Shane Kroker, TJ Yasuhara, and Matt Anderson – will be honored in a ceremony scheduled to start at 10:40. First pitch is set for 11.
GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE
